ABOUT US
G’day,
Mike and Ebony here, Welcome to Black Snake Productions. We are a wildlife education group dedicated to snake safety awareness and conservation of Australia’s amazing wildlife through fun and interactive education.
Black Snake Productions was founded in 2006 after many years of Mike travelling around Australia teaching wildlife education and seeing firsthand, habitats and species disappearing. He saw a need for a more hands on approach to conservation. With Black Snake Productions we have a platform to fulfil a passion for wildlife conservation that has always driven us to work with the amazing animals found throughout Australia.
Now our private zoo is home to almost 300 native animals allowing for wildlife diversity in the presentations few can match. We also focus on some unique breeding programs of some of Australia’s vanishing wildlife such as the cute Brush tailed bettongs, long legged Bush stone curlews, magical masked owls, noisy growling grass frogs and broad headed snakes.
Our goal is to bring these amazing animals to you and share out passion for Australian wildlife and to raise awareness to the plight of so many of them. We live in the lucky country and have some of the most diverse and unique flora and fauna found anywhere in the world, though Black Snake Productions you will get to meet some of these amazing animals up close!
MIKE
G’day,
My name Michael Alexander, Founder and owner of Black Snake Productions.
This passion started when as a child I would find garden skinks, tree frogs and blue tongue lizards in the garden and watch micro-bats and possums from my bedroom window in the evening.
I remember the exact moment as an 11 year old I declared to my parents “I’m going to work with wildlife”
The constant desire to learn more about our wildlife led me to seeking out some of the best reptile and wildlife experts in Victoria to mentor me through my high school years.
Continuing with this drive to learn I started volunteering at Healesville Sanctuary completing over 2000 hours of work over several years and then going on to complete studies in animal care and horticulture. This experience led me to work at facilities such as the Australian Reptile Park, Melbourne Zoo, other wildlife parks as a consultant and as a committee member for the Victorian Herpetological society. For all these years a few of my pets, my family members have joined me on my adventures such as “Fredo” the green tree frog I received in 1997 and “Bubbles” the water python who came to live with me in 2000, you can still meet my two oldest buddies at some of our shows,
My drive has led to a special interest in Australia’s most Venomous but often least liked animals, snakes and spiders. We now specialise in Venomous snake and spider safety offering Victorias leading safety programs in venomous creatures.
Ebb’z, the kids and I can’t wait to see you at our next event!
EBONY
Hi I am Ebony co-owner and Mike’s better half. I have always had a passion for anything animal from the time I was little collecting arachnids and insects to create my very own invert bedroom and rescuing any animal I thought was in need of help. Including a mouse swimming in our pool which turned out to be pregnant and escaped in the house. We then had pet mice living under our fridge for most of my childhood. This love of animals and strong need to help transferred into my adult life where I became a vet nurse, wildlife carer and rescuer as well as taking on abused and neglected dogs to rehab them and find forever homes. At one point I had 12 dogs to love. Now I help run Blacksnake and take care of all our animals here at the zoo. You may see me at festivals or big events but I generally work behind the scenes to manage the daily running of our home and zoo. My favorite animal is Norman the beautiful fruit bat. Our keystone species Fruit bats are one of the most misunderstood animals that help us live just like our little pocket pollinators bees.
FEEBS
Hi, I’m Phoebe. I’ve always had a love of the natural world. Growing up literally across the road from the Dandenong Ranges National Park fuelled a passion for conservation and a love for Australia’s amazing animals. Whilst I’ve been raising 2 boys as a stay at home Mum for the last 9 years, my partner, Macca and I have grown our own private collection of reptiles, marsupials and birds. With this knowledge of animal husbandry I stepped into a role at Black Snake to help care for the animals at the zoo. Since then I have gained a wealth of knowledge under Mike and Ebs mentorship. Whilst my main focus is on the care and wellbeing of the animals i also get out to festivals and events around Victoria to help educate communities about our amazing and unique wildlife. One of my favourite animals at Black Snake is Kimberley the Rough-scaled Python. These snakes are one of the rarest snakes in Australia with their habitat restricted to small patches of monsoonal rainforest in the far north-western Kimberley region of Western Australia.
EMILY
My name is Emily, I’m a dedicated wildlife enthusiast with a drive for education and animal care. I’m currently studying Cert 3 Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care, I am working towards turning my passion into a rewarding career. My journey began from a young age, with a love for animals and curiosity about their well-being. The dream is to travel our beautiful country, Australia, using every step as an opportunity to educate, inspire, and enlighten others about the incredible creatures that call it home. Among the diverse array of creatures that have captured my heart, the Squirrel Gliders hold a special place. Their fascinating behaviours and unique characteristics are a testament to the wonders of nature, and I am thrilled to share this fascination with others. Currently volunteering with Black Snake Production, I find myself surrounded by a people that share my enthusiasm for animal welfare. Working alongside these like-minded individuals has been a gratifying experience, as we collaborate to showcase and advocate for the protection of Australian wildlife. In essence, my journey is one of learning, sharing, and working towards a future where the beauty and diversity of Australian wildlife continue to thrive.